Root Veggie Detox Smoothie: Beets, Ginger and Carrots

Drinking a detox smoothie a few times a week is a great way to gently cleanse our system of toxins. Detoxing with smoothies occurs by nourishing our bodies with essential nutrients. This allows our bodies to do their job naturally, without using harsh products or methods.

Detoxification is something we have to be mindful to do on a regular basis. We live in an world where the toxic load is ever-increasing, and we are not getting as many nutrients from our food as our ancestors did. These nutrients are crucial for keeping our body’s natural detoxification system in tip-top shape.

The good thing is that we can do this the simple way! All we need to do is make a conscious effort to include natural, whole foods–that are proven safe and effective–in our diets on a regular basis!

Some of the signs that your body is stressed out by an overload of toxins include: struggling with weight, constipation, depression/anxiety, insomnia or feeling drowsy all the time (or both), headaches, arthritis symptoms, carb/sugar cravings, skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis, brain fog, and more.

Regular detoxification helps eliminate these symptoms, which in turn improves quality of life and staves off a host of chronic diseases.

Health Benefits of Beets

I never used to like beets. Ok, that’s not entirely true. The truth is I don’t eat beets. I do enjoy them fermented, or in fresh pressed juices. I LOVE beet kvass, and I love fermented beet cubes.

If you have yet to have beets you enjoy, stay tuned for a fermented beet recipe that may make you change your mind about them!

I also enjoy beets in smoothies if they are not the main ingredient. This smoothie does not have an overwhelmingly “beety” taste, but it has just the right amount to get a nutritional boost.

Beets boast the ability to lower blood pressure, aid in detoxification of the liver, prevent cardiovascular disease, and combat dementia. They contain phytonutrients such as beta carotenoids, flavanoids and betalains that may prove useful in fighting chronic inflammation and even cancer (source).

The benefits of regular beet use and even beet supplementation have been demonstrated in human and animal studies, so you can see why even though I’m not the biggest fan of beets I had to find a way to enjoy them!

I do also give my furry little friend fermented beets (a small amount, shredded) from time to time. Our dog Heaven is a Pekingese, a picky little thing, and yet she is a good sport when it comes to eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and milk kefir.

Health Benefits of Ginger

Ginger has its own impressive list of benefits. The data on ginger is extensive and demonstrates that it is a potent antioxidant, and a key natural food for fighting inflammation and cancer.

The substances it is made up of are also beneficial to protect and restore the body from exposure to toxicity from heavy metals, pesticides, insecticides toxic mold and the like (source).

Ginger also helps with nausea, which is a symptom often reported by those attempting to detox or change their diets to a real food diet. It’s great for diabetics and those with respiratory illnesses. Ginger is a useful aid to stabilize weight, and there are ongoing studies on its potential to help combat the obesity epidemic (source).

Along with milk thistle, ginger has proven some effectiveness for treating liver fibrosis (source). The flavonoid naringen, also found in citrus fruits and tomatoes, is greatly responsible for this beneficial effect. This is important because while studies in animals have shown that their liver can heal, that has not been the case with humans.

This is a case where prevention may be the best cure. Diet changes to stop the progression of disease seem to be the only recourse. Including ginger in your diet on a regular basis can help to protect against liver damage.

Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots are a common vegetable which thankfully many people already include in their diet. Carrots are touted with being high in beta carotenes, great for preserving vision, and when fermented, providing the body with sufficient amounts of bioavailable iron.

Did you know that iron supplements can sometimes feed pathogenic bacteria, instead of increasing the body’s iron stores? When I learned this, I was shocked. Carrots, when fermented, are a great biovailable source. Soil-based bacteria such as B. subtilis, as well as fulvic and humic acids, are another way to ensure the body is getting the iron it needs.

The probiotic with soil-based bacteria that I use and recommend to others is Body Biotics. I love that it contains no fillers or unnecessary additives, and that it actually works. I use the adult capsules for my son, and just open them and sprinkle right in his mouth. They are tasteless and can easily be mixed into applesauce, smoothies, or taken straight. Best of all, Body Biotics is now available on Amazon! Click here to check it out.

Now back to carrots…

Carrots have too many beneficial properties for me to list them all in this smoothie recipe post. The most comprehensive information I’ve found is neatly packaged in a PDF file. The following is just a tiny excerpt:

Anti-diabetic, cholesterol and cardiovascular disease lowering, anti-hypertensive, [protective of liver damage], [protective of the kidney], and wound healing benefits of carrot have also been reported.

– João Carlos da Silva Dias, Find the full PDF here.

Health Benefits of Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushrooms aid in gentle detoxification. They regulate the immune regulator, are anti-inflammatory and have the power to reduce histamine. Reishi mushrooms counteract allergic reactions and so researchers are interested in exploring their benefits and potential clinical uses further.

The adaptogenic properties of this fungus helps with stress relief and thus promotes restful sleep. For more information on the benefits of reishi mushrooms, read this (in this article, reishi is referred to by its scientific name Ganoderma lucidum) and/or this.

I have included a run-down of the nutritional benefits of the root veggies included in this smoothie recipe. However, if you are interested in more information on why I generally choose pineapple as the “sweetener” for my smoothies, you can click here to check out the information in the post for Creamy Arugula Pineapple Avocado Smoothie.

From the Daily Purify supplement, this smoothie also contains burdock root and dandelion root, which are both great for detoxification. We keep dandelion root tea in our rotation along with nettle infusions and a few select others.

Let me know what you thought of this smoothie. Do you regularly consume a wide variety of root vegetables and mushrooms?